I really don't want to date a girl addicted to the internet!

"Regular club activities resume today. Please attend all scheduled times. If you need to be absent, please ask for leave @everyone."

Cheng Fei and Nagasaki Asuna looked at the message at the same time and exchanged a glance.

1040. A New Member of the Corridor Research Department

A while after the school bell rang, the white supercar hurriedly drove up the gentle slope at the school gate and into the parking lot.

Cheng Fei, holding Nagasaki Asuna's hand, walked quickly into the campus and headed towards the club activity building.

"Idiot, are you sad?" The boy tilted his head and pinched the cheek of the girl who had been silently following him.

"As long as a cat stays with its owner, it won't be sad." The girl obediently shook her head.

"Don't worry, I'll continue to stay with you after this is over."

"Okay~" The girl smiled sweetly, then her eyes flickered, "Then the cat will have to be given a rough lesson, okay?"

"Silly girl, you can have whatever you want." The boy ruffled her hair again.

As the two of them walked across the playground, they unsurprisingly attracted a lot of attention.

"Look, Cheng Fei is leading Nagasaki Asuna by the hand!"

"Cheng Fei is the tall and handsome type, and Nagasaki Asuna is sweet and innocent. This couple is really a perfect match. I'm shipping them."

"Cheng Fei was even rubbing Nagasaki Asuna's head. I really want to know what they were talking about."

"Judging from her expression, Nagasaki Asuna must have made some request. Maybe she wants to go on a date. Nagasaki Asuna gets so shy when she's kissed that she freezes up. That innocent look of hers really makes me want to protect her."

This discussion arose because the students, who were too far away to hear the conversation between the two, were unable to hear what they were saying.

Soon, the two climbed up to the club activity building. Before they even pushed open the half-closed door, they heard a conversation inside.

"Sister Zhou Han, how do you make this...?" A delicate voice rang out first.

"Ah, uh, Ruan Jingyi, take a look... You don't know how either?"

"Leave it to me, Ms. Kato! These are just high school level questions, I'm... cough cough, Ms. Ye Shuang, why don't you do them?"

"Okay, I'll give it a try. Hmm... Miss, how do you make this again?" The familiar, clear voice also had a subtle tone.

"Isn't this something anyone can do? You guys, a bunch of second-year and third-year repeaters, can't even solve a first-year problem? Are you illiterate?" The last voice was a surprised one from a haughty girl.

Cheng Fei and Nagasaki Asuna exchanged a glance, then let go of her small hand and pushed the door open to enter.

"Good afternoon, everyone. I was a little delayed by something. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long?" The boy spread his arms, revealing a nonchalant smile. His gaze swept over the members of the corridor research department, finally landing on the end of the table.

A cool, aloof girl with long, dark hair sat upright in a steel tube chair, reading a book with her eyes lowered, keeping a distance from everyone else, as if she were in another dimension.

Miriam, who was staring at the draft paper, racking her brains with a defiant spirit, looked up and her eyes lit up. "Junior, Miss Nagasaki?! It's okay, we just arrived too!"

"That's good." Cheng Fei put his hands in his pockets and sat down in his assigned spot, to Shen Xi's left, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good afternoon, Teacher Shen," the boy said formally.

Nagasaki Asuna also moved to the right-hand side opposite and sat down, saying, "Good afternoon, Shen Xi."

The aloof girl in the middle didn't even look up, as if she couldn't hear the two of them at all.

"Honey, I thought you weren't coming." Lin Xuanqi rested her chin on her hands, leaning close to the young man, and whispered with great interest.

After being subtly glared at by the boy, the haughty girl straightened up and shut her mouth.

"Nagasaki Asuna's boyfriend's classmate, and Cheng Fei's girlfriend's classmate, please sit over there." A cold, emotionless voice suddenly rang out.

Shen Xi didn't even look at the two of them, but simply pointed to the two empty seats furthest from her.

This statement attracted everyone's attention.

"Huh?" Zhou Han's round eyes widened slightly as she uttered a questioning sound.

"Teacher Shen, please don't do this." Cheng Fei said calmly.

The aloof girl raised her voice to interrupt him, her tone icy, "Although in principle our club doesn't have a rule prohibiting members from dating, I'm sorry, but my personal opinion is that students should prioritize their studies. Since you're dating, please stay away from me. I don't want to be influenced by your decadent and unproductive atmosphere. Thank you for your cooperation."

After he finished speaking, the entire club activity room fell silent.

Everyone simultaneously revealed a subtle, hesitant expression, as if they wanted to say something but couldn't.

Cheng Fei's lips twitched. "Teacher Shen, no matter what, at least don't use that weird title, okay?"

The aloof girl paused in her book-turning, raised her hand, and looked up. Her pure, dark eyes revealed no emotion. "Then, Cheng Fei's girlfriend's boyfriend's classmate, and Nagasaki Asuna's boyfriend's girlfriend's classmate, please sit over there. Are you satisfied?"

Zhou Han's eyes were blank. After thinking for a moment, she looked at Ruan Jingyi and lowered her voice, "She's talking about Cheng Fei and Asuna, right?"

The quiet girl nodded hesitantly.

Ye Shuang and Lin Xuanqi exchanged a glance, their expressions showing a sense of shock.

Cheng Fei stared at that pretty yet cold face for a second in silence, then gave up on correcting her and stood up. "Nana, let's go."

“Okay.” Nagasaki Asuna nodded obediently.

So the two moved to the other side, away from the aloof girl, and sat down.

"Sister, what exactly is this..." Kato Ai couldn't help but whisper beside her.

"Shh, Ai, don't ask anything right now." Nagasaki Asuna made a shushing gesture.

The shy girl shrank her neck and obediently shut her mouth.

"Phew, finally some peace and quiet. It really felt like the air got polluted when those ignorant people sat down." The aloof girl tugged at her collar and let out a big sigh of relief.

Cheng Fei looked at her serious expression and had nothing to say.

After waiting a moment, Shen Xi closed her book, looked up, skipped over the two people directly opposite her, glanced around, and said coldly without expression, "Since everyone has arrived as expected, I will now announce something."

Everyone was watching her.

"Effective immediately, Lin Xuanqi is officially a prospective member of the Corridor Research Department." The cool and aloof girl spoke in a businesslike tone.

"Teacher Shen, I have a question." Cheng Fei raised his hand.

“Nagasaki Asuna’s boyfriend, you can ask questions, but please call me Minister. Don’t use those weird titles, otherwise even if I and everyone else don’t mind, your girlfriend will be very bothered.” Shen Xi looked directly at him.

Nagasaki Asuna, standing next to her, blinked, looking completely harmless.

Cheng Fei and Shen Xi exchanged glances, and Cheng Fei saw a hint of stubbornness in Shen Xi's eyes. After thinking for a moment, Cheng Fei could only nod and say, "Yes, Minister."

"The so-called 'prospective member' is exactly what it sounds like. If they pass the evaluation, they have the opportunity to be promoted to a full member." The cool-looking girl paused. "In terms of the system, prospective members are prohibited from accessing the club's core secrets during the evaluation process, but they are allowed to participate in some low-secret operations. The other members must also participate in the evaluation while fulfilling their confidentiality obligations. Ultimately, a vote will be held to decide whether she can become a full member. Do you understand?"

Lin Xuanqi rested her chin on her hands and looked around.

“I completely understand!” Miriam was the first to respond.

Zhou Han nodded as if she understood but not quite.

"When did our club get so many complicated rules?" Cheng Fei couldn't help but mutter.

"Nagasaki Asuna's boyfriend, I'm really disappointed that you, as the vice-president, would make such remarks. Please don't neglect your responsibilities just because you're in a relationship, otherwise I will seriously reconsider whether it was right to appoint you as vice-president." The cool girl glared at him, her serious tone earnest. "Get this straight: as our club grows larger, it's necessary to establish a reasonable admission mechanism. Otherwise, if we just recruit members randomly and something goes wrong in the future, can you take responsibility?"

"I cannot accept this, Your Excellency is wise." The boy lowered his head in a second.

"Then shut up and stop your babbling and questioning." The girl showed undisguised disdain.

"Yes." The boy zipped up his mouth.

"Ruan Jingyi, even though things have come to this, she still hasn't changed at all in disciplining Cheng Fei," Zhou Han whispered to her best friend.

"Please refrain from whispering during the announcement of important matters," came the aloof voice of the young woman.

Zhou Han's expression changed, and she immediately straightened her posture.

"The second thing, considering the urgency of the various projects in the club, is to make the following arrangements." Shen Xi raised her chin again.

Lin Xuanqi stared at her with a curious expression.

"First, we need to find the Black Umbrella on the fifth floor. I'll assign this task to you." The cool and aloof girl paused, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. "I'll entrust this to Zhou Han. You'll lead the team, and everyone who's available, including reserve members, will participate."

"Lead the team? Me?" The petite girl pointed to herself, stunned.

"What's the problem?" Shen Xi turned her head and narrowed her eyes.

"Why not you or Cheng Fei? Asuna would be fine too, right?" Zhou Han asked cautiously.

"Because Nagasaki Asuna's boyfriend is going to the research station with me for maintenance work, and his girlfriend is also going. This is to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. After all, we are completely innocent, and I don't want to spend too much time alone with him and cause bad rumors to spread. Do you understand?"

"Huh?" Zhou Han nodded blankly, "I understand."

Lin Xuanqi, who was watching from the sidelines, covered her mouth and let out a soft "pfft".

"Prospective member, what's so funny?" The aloof girl turned her head, her face showing displeasure.

"Did I laugh? I didn't laugh." Lin Xuanqi spread her hands, looking left and right with a serious expression of doubt.

"Then please cherish this hard-won opportunity and cooperate with the operation. I don't want to hear any signs of disobeying orders or disobeying commands, otherwise I will vote against you." Shen Xi said coldly, without a trace of emotion.

"I'll follow orders. I'm the kind of person who follows orders the most, right, Zhou Han?" Lin Xuanqi immediately looked at the petite girl opposite her, her reddened eyes blinking.

"Ah, yes...yes." The petite girl met her gaze, her eyes darting away as she mumbled something.

"So, that's the arrangement for the next period of time. Any questions?" Shen Xi looked around again.

Cheng Fei looked at Nagasaki Asuna with a helpless expression.

The sweet girl looked at him and couldn't help but chuckle.

Noticing this, the aloof girl narrowed her eyes. "Those two over there, please don't flirt in a formal setting."

The two immediately lowered their eyes and focused on their inner thoughts.

Shen Xi waited a moment longer before speaking, "Since there are no problems, then..."

Bang bang bang——

The sudden knocking interrupted her.

Everyone turned around at once, their faces showing confusion.

The school season is over, and no one should be visiting them.

"Vice Minister, go open the door," Shen Xi ordered coldly.

Cheng Fei nodded and got up to do as instructed.

A strange girl wearing black-rimmed glasses stood outside the door. Her curly hair was tied into two short ponytails, and her bangs were long. There was an indescribable gloomy temperament between her brows.

"Hello, who are you looking for?" Cheng Fei estimated her charm to be around 7 points and gave a nonchalant smile.

The gloomy girl glanced at him and then looked away, her voice soft with a hint of hesitation, "Is this the Corridor Research Club? I want to join."

“Minister, someone wants to join the ministry,” the boy said, turning his head.

The aloof girl on the other end of the line was blunt: "Refuse her. Tell her that our club isn't for just anyone."

"You heard that too? Please go back." The boy turned around, still smiling.

"I really enjoy playing in the Corridor... so I'd like to join. Please, please reconsider." The gloomy girl lowered her head, her hesitant tone suggesting a lack of social skills.

“Sorry, we are the Corridor Research Department. If you like playing Corridor games, please go to the Game Department.” Shen Xi said without hesitation.

“I…” The gloomy girl raised her head, opened her mouth but couldn’t say a word.

"Um, classmate, haven't you heard? You can't just join our Corridor Research Club." Nagasaki Asuna flashed her signature gentle and healing smile, her soft voice like a spring breeze.

The gloomy girl looked at her again, her eyes unblinking, as if she were stunned.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Nagasaki Asuna tilted her head, puzzled.

"I just transferred here, so, so..." The gloomy girl lowered her head again, her voice strained, the reflection from her black-rimmed glasses obscuring part of her expression.

"What a waste of time, Vice Minister. Send him away." Shen Xi lost interest and lowered her eyes.

"Sorry, our club really doesn't accept new members. Please leave." Cheng Fei smiled and prepared to close the door.

“Wait a minute! Shen Xi, she just transferred here and wants to join our club. She must be hoping to find like-minded friends. Don’t you think it’s cruel to just reject her like this?” Milian looked at the gloomy girl outside the door and spoke with an air of righteous indignation.

"If you want some fair-weather friends, just send them to your gaming club. You're the club president, so you can just have them join." The aloof girl said without looking up.

"I'm no longer a department head this semester!"

"It has nothing to do with me."